How Far You'll Go
by TheseMakeTheEchoes
Summary: When his Father is charged with child abuse, Adrien runs away and tries to survive on his own. However, with his resources swiftly running out, he quickly lands himself in trouble in effort to provide for himself and Plagg, and ends up making a very dangerous deal. Will Adrien realize that some distances aren't worth traveling, or will he continue until it's too late?


**For the purposes of this fic, Adrien is not a model and hasn't been allowed to go to school. He's only been that one time, when he first ran off in the origin episodes. Marinette did eventually find out the truth about the gum, but she's pretty much all but forgotten Adrien.**

Adrien had never thought of his father as abusive. Cold, and distant, sure. Maybe a bit unnecessarily harsh, but that was just his way. It was how he coped with the grief that had been consuming the Agreste's life for the past year, ever since his mother had vanished for reasons that Adrien wasn't even sure if Father knew.

He hadn't been home when the police first arrived, having been out on a quick patrol as Chat Noir, but as soon as Adrien saw the flashing lights of red and blue in front of the mansion, he wasted no time in detransforming, and bolting inside the large heavy doors assuming that, most likely, Nathalie had reported him missing, and Gabriel had gone into a panic.

But then why was there an ambulance?

The first thing Adrien heard when he entered the people filled hall was his father shouting at the police, his growls echoing off the walls, but before he could make sense of the angry words an officer grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the outside of the hall.

"He's back; I've got the boy right here!" He man's grip was firm, though Adrien was too stunned even think of pulling away. Not that he would have gone anywhere.

Immediately he was swarmed by words and faces, so many faces.

"Where have you been?"

"It's going to be alright, son."

"Why did you sneak off?"

"Would you say this normal behavior for you?"

Then behind it all was his father's voice, burning with anger, and oddly enough, desperation, "Adrien? Where's Adrien? Where is he? Let me see my son!"

"Father!" Adrien cried out, he tried to run towards him, but the hand grasping his upper arm, and several other pairs from various police officers stopped him. He whirled around to stare them in the face, "What's going on? And what's with the grabbing?"

The main officer holding him bit his lip, "I'm don't think I'm the right person to explain it to you."

His father continued to call out for him, pleading to see him, and something inside Adrien broke, "Then _who is_?"

Ushering Adrien over to the grand staircase and sitting him down on one of the steps, the man towered over him, all the while looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. "All you need to know," he said, almost apologetically, "Is that you did nothing wrong."

The words were supposed to be calming, but instead, they brought on a slight chill. _You did nothing wrong._ What was that supposed to mean? Was this about him sneaking out? Honestly, Adrien wasn't sure anymore. Where was his father? He could no longer hear him, the officers had lead him into one of the side rooms to talk.

A lady with a clipboard walked over, her shoes clacking on the bare, colorless tile. She gave Adrien a tight, wary smile. "Hey Adrien," her voice was full of guilty sweetness, "We're going to be driving somewhere in just a little bit, and you might be gone for a few hours. Is there anything you'd like to grab from your room before we go?" She adjusted the walkie talkie at her belt.

"Um…" Where were they going to take him? "Yeah, okay." He stood up, surprised when he realized how shaky his legs had become. He felt his kwami press up against his chest, reminding him of his presence.

At least he still had Plagg.

"Officer Boucher will go up with you if that's alright." It was a statement, he noted, not a question. All he could do was follow along.

"Sure," he said weakly, before turning around and climbing the stairs, Officer B- somebody following right behind him. Did they think he was going to try something? That he was going to run off?

When he got to his bedroom, the first things he grabbed were his bag, and then several wheels of camembert, which would hopefully satisfy Plagg for however long they would be gone. Next, he grabbed his homework, and finally, a book to pass the time with.

He went back downstairs, the officer still trailing slightly behind him. The doors to the mansion were wide open, and there were people waiting for them, including the lady who'd had the clipboard.

"Is that what you're bringing?" She asked him. Nodding at his messenger bag. There was no smile this time, but her voice still held the same chirp.

"Could I please see my father before we go?" Adrien begged her with his eyes. He needed to see his father. He had to make sure he was alright.

The lady didn't even blink, and then she was smiling again, "No, no, I'm sorry. We really need to get going. But you're assistant and bodyguard are coming too."

"Nathalie? The Gorilla?" Adrien blinked in surprise. Now that he thought of it, it was strange that neither of them around. He'd forgotten about them in all this chaos. They were involved in this too? Why weren't they with his father?

"They'll be driving you. Come along then." She placed a hand on his back and he flinched, immediately drawing himself up even further, if that was possible. His posture was always straight, Father had made sure of it.

Nathalie was in the back when he climbed into the silver car, her brows slightly pinched together in the barest resemblance of worry. When the door was shut, and Adrien seated, she put away her tablet. The Gorilla pulled out onto the road, sandwiched between a dark van, an ambulance, and a police car.

"Adrien…" she trailed off, as if unsure of what to say.

"Nathalie, what's going on?" He stared at his hands, clenched tightly to his bag.

The assistant remained quiet for five seconds before answering, "There has been a report on your father."

Adrien had wondered, but what could his father possibly had done to get in trouble with the law? His father may not be the nicest, or most polite person, but he didn't go around breaking laws. "Is that why the police are there? Did he do something wrong? Are they going to arrest him?"

"They won't arrest him." Nathalie withdrew her hand to her lap and sighed, "He's been charged with child abuse."

Adrien's head jerked up, "Child abuse? But who would-," suddenly, he felt sick, and the blood drained from his face. "No," he shook his head, "no, no, no. Father's _never_ abused me. He barely even touches me, let alone anything else!"

"There's more than one kind of abuse."

"What do you mean?" Adrien's fingers now squeezed the handle of his bag so tightly they were in danger of breaking.

"Emotional abuse, neglect."

"But he hasn't! I've never been neglected. I live in a mansion, have a personal chef, tutors, and even a bodyguard. He may not be around a lot, but he has you to keep an eye on me." If that was neglect, he didn't know what wasn't.

"Assistant," Nathalie said quietly, "I'm technically Mr. Agreste's assistant, not a nanny."

"What difference does your title make?"

"Everything to them."

Adrien looked out the window at all the cars around them, "Do you know where we're going?"

The assistant shifted her position, "I believe they're going to interrogate the three of us to find out what they can about you and Mr. Agreste. Then when they're finished questioning him, they should let us return."

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut, dreading the answer to his next question, "What happens if… if they decide he's guilty?"

"Then they'll take you away."

There was long, painful pause. In which nobody said anything.

He felt Nathalie's hand on his shoulder, and realized he was trembling.

"I'm sorry, Adrien."


End file.
